My role at CSW as #Focus5 Partnership Coordinator involves liaising with youth community organisations, charity groups, housing associations and local ​authorities to publicise, increase awareness, and recruit participants onto the #Focus5 Project. Over the past month, I have been busy building relationships with the following organisations.

Skills Launchpad Devon based at Exeter Works – I have secured a weekly residency every Monday to promote #Focus5 to their footfall within Exeter city centre, as well as attending their School Leavers event in August which offered a plethora of networking opportunities for services our Key Workers can utilise.

Skills Launchpad Plymouth based at Barclays Bank in Plymouth city centre – I have been attending their Community Roadshow events across Plymouth throughout August. These events have been beneficial in meeting the community face-to-face to promote #Focus5, whilst offering activities that reflect the approaches of our Key Workers. I will also be attending their Launchpad Live 2-day event being held at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park Stadium on September 22nd and 23rd, and I am currently securing a weekly residency at their city centre hub from September.

Space Youth Services, who have 8 youth centres across Devon in Newton Abbot, Exeter, Exmouth, Totnes, Tiverton, Bideford, Barnstaple, and Okehampton – I have provided Space staff with an awareness refresher of the #Focus5 project and how to make referrals, as well as securing wall space within each youth centre to display posters of our newly updated marketing campaign to attract interest from young people themselves, all whilst securing hubs across Devon for Key Workers to work from with their caseloads.

Routeways Centre’s Devonport Park Activity Centre in Plymouth – Again, I have provided staff with an awareness refresher of the project and how to make referrals, and left flyers to attract interest from users of the centre. The centre at Devonport Park offers a wonderful relaxing green space in the heart of Plymouth, which our Key Workers can now visit and work from with their caseloads.

I hope the connections I make within communities across Devon benefit the #Focus5 project by increasing awareness of the wonderful things our Key Workers provide for young people, whilst signposting those in need to the support we offer.